Oscillator voltage regulator

Abstract

An oscillator voltage regulator includes a substantially constant voltage device in series with the bias network dividing resistors to reduce current flow and provide a substantially constant voltage drop, and an impedance connected between the first and second resistors of the dividing resistors and the tank circuit and the base of the amplifier transistor so as to reduce the loading on the tank circuit and so as to improve stability, reduce phase noise, and increase power output from the amplifier. The use of a silicon PN junction and a NPN transistor provides temperature compensation for hot and cold ambients to allow the oscillator to operate with substantially a constant supply current.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A voltage regulator for an oscillator including a tuned tank circuit connected to a signal amplifier having an output terminal comprising: a supply voltage terminal connected to said amplifier,   a first series circuit connected between said voltage terminal and ground including a first voltage dividing resistor, a second voltage dividing resistor and a relatively constant voltage device having a selected resistance to reduce the current flow in said first series circuit and provide a substantially constant voltage across said device,   an impedance connected between a junction between said first and second resistors and a junction between said tank circuit and said amplifier to increase the impedance between said voltage terminal and said amplifier and to reduce loading on the tank circuit to improve stability, reduce phase noise and improve output power from said amplifier,   whereby a bias current is drawn through said first resistor and said impedance and a main current from said terminal to said amplifier enables a relatively constant reference voltage across the device to provide for the bias voltage applied to said amplifier which allows said oscillator to operate with substantially constant current with temperature changes and to provide substantially constant supply current to the amplifier for a range of supply voltages.   
     
     
       2. A voltage regulator as set forth in claim 1 wherein an unregulated about 1-1.5 V DC battery is connected to said terminal. 
     
     
       3. A voltage regulator as set forth in claim 2 wherein the voltage drop across said device is about 0.7 V DC. 
     
     
       4. A voltage regulator as set forth in claim 2 wherein the value of said first resistor is about 2.2K ohm, said second resistor about 2.7K ohm and said impedance about 1.5K ohm. 
     
     
       5. A voltage regulator as set forth in claim 1 wherein said device is a silicon diode. 
     
     
       6. A voltage regulator as set forth in claim 1 wherein said signal amplifier is an NPN silicon transistor having a base, emitter and collector, and said device is a silicon PN junction, said transistor and diode both changing in unison to provide temperature compensation for hot and cold ambients. 
     
     
       7. A voltage regulator for an oscillator including a tuned resonant tank circuit connected to an NPN silicon transistor having a base, emitter and collector with a stabilizer resistor and inductor connected between said emitter and ground and having an output terminal, said regulator comprising: a supply voltage terminal connected to said collector,   a first series circuit connected between said voltage terminal and ground including a first voltage dividing resistor, a second voltage dividing resistor and a silicon PN junction diode to reduce current flow in said first series circuit and provide a substantially constant voltage across said diode,   a third resistor connected between a junction between said first and second resistors and a junction between said tank circuit and said base to increase the resistance between said voltage terminal and said base and to reduce the loading on the tank circuit to improve stability, reduce phase noise and improve output power at said output terminal,   whereby a bias current is drawn through said first resistor and said third resistor and a main or collector current from said voltage terminal to said amplifier enables a small voltage across said diode with a bias voltage applied to said amplifier allows said oscillator to operate with substantially constant collector current to provide a substantially constant collector current with temperature changes for a range of supply voltages.   
     
     
       8. A voltage regulator as set forth in claim wherein the voltage across said diode and the voltage across the base of said transistor shift in unison with temperature to maintain the current in said collector at a substantially constant level.